Reinventing the Technological Art Museum
Ethan Lahm
This article, brought to us by John Falk and Beverly Shepard, begins with a unique perspective from a father and daughter that both led the Cleveland Museum of Art during their respective careers. Katherine Lee Reid is the daughter of Sherman Lee, who ran the establishment during his time, also has a very different interpretation of how a museum should be run and the importance of audience participation.
The authors as well as Katherine both regard the modern art museum as a specific focus on engagement and audience participation rather than a focus on the subject matter of what's actually benign displayed in the gallery. This was both an individual pivot with Katherine Lee Reid’s personal connection with the Cleveland Museum of Art but also a universal pivot, as museums have evolved and began contributing more towards audience engagement over the decades. Falk and Sheppard use this example as a jumping off point to a very important concept for art museum staff and leaders to be familiar with and the alterations made to them over the years, that of having an accurate business model. The authors describe a business model for art museums and establishments as crucial, allowing staff and participants to intermingle in effective ways, for goals to be met, and for effective viewing of galleries to be had. Older generations more commonly used an Industrial Age business model, that of having the leaders and heads of departments use their personal ideals and skills to run effective programs. More accurately, the Industrial Age business model allows for less public outreach, and having the staff and inner workings of the establishment more private from the general public. What we've seen over the decades, going into the 21st century especially, is that many establishments have pivoted towards a Knowledge Era-based business model. This includes departments and leaders being aware of public opinion and outreach more, allowing for engagement and servitude for general populations that visit the respective galleries. Just as Katherin Lee Reid and her father had differing thought processes on how to lead an art museum, we can see that this has been a common occurrence over the last few decades, as many art museums and galleries have pivoted towards using a Knowledge Era-based business model. This then further connects and allows service towards populations that visit the gallery, then opening up the establishment to better abilities to create effective galleries. This was a very interesting article to read, as I was aware that there had been a shift in how museums engaged with their audiences over the decades, but I was not aware of the actual reasoning and purpose behind this shift. I believe that the Knowledge Era-based business model is much more effective for both museum staff and visitors, as it allows for deeper connections between general populations and the artwork being shown in galleries. My only question revolves around the Industrial Era-based business model and how it has gone out of style over the years. Are there still certain establishments that use this business model in the modern age, and if so why? Is there reasoning or a purpose behind using this particular business model still?
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